Phytoremediation of PCBs and PAHs by grasses: A critical perspective

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are two major environmental contaminants which threaten our health and environment. The removal of these key environmental pollutants from the environment is therefore paramount. Among the cleanup methods currently being used, traditional methods such as chemical and physical treatments tend to be expensive, laborious and may cause secondary contamination. Phytoremediation, the use of plants and associated microorganisms, represents a promising, nondestructive and cost-effective in situ technology for the degradation or removal of contaminants. Grasses belonging to the Poaceae family have drawn significant attention in this regard due to their fast growth, dense, fibrous root systems, and the demonstrated fast removal of PAH and PCB compounds from soils in which these plants have been grown. In this review, we review research on the use of grasses for the degradation of PAHs and PCBs and highlight the benefits of this phytoremediation approach.